The food at Udon Yama was excellent, between the Shrimp Tempura and the Squid Tempura it was amazing! I had the regular plain Kake noodles and the broth and the Noodles were amazing! The service was excellent as well, the worker who we payed was extremely nice and helped me pronounce words I Didint know! 10/10 read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is the absolute best Japanese udon in Honolulu!! Our must-visit lunch spot every Sunday! read more

Udon Yama - The best Japanese udon in Honolulu!! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was hungry for udon while everyone else in my group wanted sushi, so I stopped here for Udon. Ordering was straightforward: grab a tray and a smaller tray for extras like tempourshrimp, potato fritters, etc. The service was on point: order at the counter and afterward, no one interrupts your meal. The ambience is simple, almost like a cafeteria. But that's not a bad thing when the food is so great! read more

Udon Yama - Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Went once and came back again! I like that Udon Yama is not super busy, they are fast, and there are nice people work there. Some of the tempura isn't super fresh and crunchy, but the udon noodle soup makes up for it. How it works here is that you get in line, grab a tray, select the tempura you want and other small bites, decide on the udon or curry dish you want, pay, and then go find a place to sit. Once done with dining, you can set your tray in a specific area, and they will take it from there. There's free water next to that drop off area. I like their chili flakes. I get a container, pour a mountain of chili flakes, and drop in some broth and make it a poor man's chili paste. So good. Utensils are provided by the seating area. Definitely recommend if you're in the Stix Asia food hall area if you're craving some udon! I need to come back to try their curry and lemon udon bowl. Thanks, Udon Yama for being my first udon experience in Waikiki! read more

Udon Yama - Beef udon and a fried egg tempura. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Totally fine udon and add your own fixings place. Price is right! The veggie tempura thing was way too greasy so don't get that. We had: Kake udon Salmon musubi Ebi Chicken Veggie tempura Katsu curry udon read more

My actual favorite place on earth to eat. Everything's perfect, prices are so reasonable- staff is always super friendly. Place is clean and nice. I'm here a lot. read more

See all

Located at the Waikiki Shopping Plaza food hall Udon Yama is good for a quick bite. There's a small buffet portion where you help yourself and pay by the item. Then when you get to the cashier you place your udon or curry order, order your drinks and pay for the items you helped yourself to. The sweet chicken that was in the self serve line was very tasty. Our curry was ready quickly and you seat yourself at any available table. There is a water station for self serve water and when you're done a place to drop off your dishes. There's no table service for anything and the place is kinda small. It's definitely a place where you eat and go, not somewhere to leisurely take your time. Prices are Waikiki prices so a little higher than average. Curry was good. read more

See all

The food is very authentic and flavorful. It's like actually being in Japan as we go there often. The service was terrific with Tadashi at the helm. I love the ambiance and the ability to take what you need for takeout containers, bag and other things you wish to add to your food prior to take out. The place is super clean and cared for. What a great lunch we had and locals get a 5% discount which is great. read more

See all

Super disappointing. Fell for the reviews saying this was a better alternative to marugame and was such a lie. More expensive for way lesser quality food. Lukewarm temp and smaller portions. read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is the yummiest udon I've had in a long time! The broth is so clear and delicious and the noodles are firm. They added crunchy tempura bits and green onions on top and the whole thing will cost me $6.23! I have a bunch of different temporary things you could buy on top of it. I just love the noodles and the broth read more

Udon Yama - Number 4 - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I came at 7:30pm on a Tuesday and there was plenty of seating. The service is extremely fast and the workers are nice. The restaurant is well decorated and very spacious. I got the cold nikutama and it was good, but not my favorite cold udon (that goes to yume in boston). The broth was lukewarm and lacked a little bit of flavor to me. The noodles themselves were cooked well and the meat was yummy --umami and slightly sweet. I wish the broth had a little more depth, but for the convenience I would come again. read more

Udon Yama - nikutama cold - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great late night spot. Food is so fast and tasty. Just go down the line and grab ur food. Plenty of space to sit. Got the beef udon combo and it was a good amount of food for 9.95! read more

Udon Yama - food - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The cold kake broth udon hit the spot on a hot day. The udon noodles were cold, springy, and refreshing. The tempura chicken thigh and pumpkin were delicious as well. Affordable, fast service were the cherries on top. A quick in and out lunch spot - highly recommend! read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I'm a local guy, that never comes to Waikiki, but I gotta say udon Yama is a good dine and dash. The line was out the door, and pretty casual.. Service was fast, pick your add-ons as well as pick your meal. Tonight, I had the beef udon which was flavorful and delicious and reasonably priced. Service was friendly, and courteous. Do I like coming to Waikiki ? No. But if I'm in the neighborhood, I would come back again. Follow me on Insta: @noodlesoupr Follow me on Yelp! read more

See all

This is my regular udon spot. I love the Nikutama and the Lemon bowls. I've tried the hot and cold broth of Nikutama and both are so satisfying. The Lemon bowl that only comes in cold is especially refreshing on a hot day in Waikiki. The broth is addicting and it's perfectly seasoned so that it's not too sour but it has just the right amount of acidity to make the simple bowl stand out. Their noodles have a consistent texture every time which I can rely on and appreciate. I've tried many of their tempuras and my favorites are the egg, zucchini, and seafood pancake. On top of that, the restaurant is such an easy and casual stop for lunch or dinner as they're right in front of the entrance of Stix, they have plenty of tables, and the self service bars for the tempura, utensils, and sauce are awesome. read more

Udon Yama - Fish cake tempura - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Considering how long they've been around and how Hawaii is always so hot/warm, it's amazing to me how Marugame Udon still manages to attract a crowd. On multiple occasions, the line practically stretched around the corner! So, it's no wonder that, as we walked through the Stix Asia food hall, Udon Yama and its relatively modest line caught our eye. The same type of set-up and menu, yet in a much cooler space, with less than half the wait and plenty of available seating? How could we not give this place a shot? While the obvious similarities they share with Marugame Udon gave us hope, it should be said that even if they didn't, Udon Yama legitimately looked pretty appealing on its own. As we made our way down the line past the trays of tempura and side dishes, not only did everything look pretty good, but they felt a bit more varied as well. What's more, the range of entrees offered so many enticing options. While we were obviously here to try their udon (which they had almost a half dozen varieties of, served both hot or cold), I have to admit I felt more than a little tempted by their Katsu Curry Rice and Beef Bowl. -- (#1) NIKUTAMA UDON with Sweet Beef, Onion, and Hot Spring Egg (Hot)...$14.95 This was great! I loved the broth, which had a nice beefy flavor with a bit of sweetness to it, the noodles were well cooked with a nice bite, and there was fairly generous amount of beef in the bowl. Delicious! -- ZUCCHINI TEMPURA...$2.50 Hardly amazing, but not too shabby either. This legitimately might have been the longest zucchini tempura I've seen, but what I liked most was that it wasn't at all overcooked or mushy. -- SHRIMP TEMPURA...$2.50 Pretty straightforward, but still terrific! Since it's their most popular tempura, the workers were constantly refilling the tray, so these were especially hot and crispy. As for the shrimp itself, it was really plump and meaty. -- SWEET POTATO TEMPURA...$3 Of all of the vegetable tempura items we had, this was easily my favorite! The potato was soft, with a sort of creaminess to it, but still had some bite to it. -- CHICKEN TEMPURA WITH SWEET SAUCE...$4.50 Even though it's called Chicken Tempura, this felt a little closer to Karaage. Either way, this was pretty solid. The batter wasn't quite as crispy as I would've liked, but the chicken itself was really juicy and it tasted far better than the one I've had in the past at Marugame Udon. -- (#4) BEEF UDON with Sweet Beef and Onion in Kake Broth (Hot)...$10.75 Pretty similar to the Nikutama, though not entirely alike. Besides the obvious absence of the egg, the other thing we noticed was that this broth didn't taste quite as sweet. A little more plain in that sense, but still pretty good! -- MUSHROOM TEMPURA...$2.50 This just wasn't very good, though, to be fair, I don't think mushroom tempura ever really works since they're like sponges. So, as much as I appreciated how big this was, it felt a little soggy and oily. -- MIXED VEGETABLE TEMPURA...$3.50 Kind of similar to Yachae Twigim (Korean shredded veggie tempura), but not quite as good. That's not to say that this tasted bad, though; it's just that this one had a bit more batter, so it was harder for the veggies to stand out. -- SOFT BOILED EGG TEMPURA...$2.50 I only had a bite of this one, but what I had was pretty decent. I don't usually go for egg tempura because of how the batter doesn't usually stick to the egg, but I liked how the yolk on this one was so gooey. While what we had at Udon Yama wasn't as good as what I had when I first visited Marugame years ago, the same could be said for the trips I've made to the latter's locations in the Bay Area. Plus, when you factor in the shorter wait times, not having to wait outside, how much more seating there is here, and, most importantly, the fact that the food here isn't dramatically far off, I'd probably opt to come back here just to save on time and for the convenience...and to try their Katsu Curry Bowl! read more

Udon Yama - Nikutama Udon with (clockwise, from top) Chicken Tempura with Sweet Sauce, Zucchini Tempura, Sweet Potato Tempura, and Shrimp Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

This place is basically Marugame Udon but with a shorter or even no line! I do think Marugame's tempura is crispier, but, after trying Udon Yama for the first time, I came back the next day. It was pretty good! Monday around 7:30pm was way busier than Tuesday at 6pm. If you want something refreshing, get the cold lemon udon. I never thought I'd have lemon in udon, but as someone who loves tangy flavors, I really enjoyed opening up the slices and biting into them. I also tried the hot chicken teriyaki and the hot nikutama udon with both toppings on all which I would order again. I want to try everything on the menu! Prices seem to run about $1 more than SF's Marugame, but that's what you get in a tourist area. Still worth it. After you order and get your food, grab utensils, sauces, and self-serve water, then grab a table. read more

Udon Yama - Nikutama Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

We know that there are a lot of really good Japanese food in Honolulu and we were really craving udon and decided to get this place a try. It's located in the basement of a food hall. We didn't wanna wait for the line for the other place and we're looking for something light and quick in my opinion. I honestly thought that the service was really quick and nice and also the concept is pretty similar to Marugame Udon in my opinion. The only thing is that the fried things are not always fresh . But I still decided to get the squid tempera which I enjoyed and the fried egg. I got the niku udon. I thought the broth was really good. It was light and also flavorful at the same time. The noodles were pretty good, but if you like it on the chewier it is on the softer end. But if you're looking for a quick udon place, this place has a lot of seating and I recommend . read more

Udon Yama - Niku udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Friends, I am team Udon Yama! A hidden gem in the STIX ASIA food hall there are usually no lines because of their friendly and fast service. I will say its a nice little escape from the crazy streets of Waikiki. A calm vibe all around. Such delicious comforting broth and freshly made udon noodles! Other popular udon restaurants (no shade), are also good but make me feel heavy, sleepy and slow right after. Udon Yama's broth was rich, earthy, yet very light and full of umami! The gyudon was also packed with flavor, happy that the sweet onions were not overpowering the beef flavors. read more

See all

@fortunefoodfinds: "Trust me, UDON-a like this! I always order a large Nikutama Udon to share + a variety of tempura from UDON YAMA located at Stix Asia in Waikiki. A place I L.O.V.E. to go with my family, where we enjoy n' eat happily!" Staff: fully staffed Interior: many table seating Exterior: located at the Stix Asia Food Hall Wait time: 5-10 mins Parking: Waikiki Shopping Plaza garage, validation available Overall comments: always go here when we visit this food hall. Udon is very good n' flavorful. Beef is tasty. Egg on top completes the dish perfectly. Large size is enough to feed two. They have a wide variety of self-serve tempura. My faves include the shrimp n' soft boiled egg, while my kids eat the croquettes. I actually eat the tempura with katsu sauce that makes it extra yummy. We usually finish everything, but if you do end up with leftovers they have everything you need to take it home. Great udon spot! read more

See all

This place is very similar to the more popular Marugame on Kūhiō Ave in Waikiki. It's located in the Japanese food court called Stix. There are much smaller lines, bigger eating area & costs less than Marugame. Quality is also similar. I do like their Potato Croquet with their Katsu Sauce, which they have on the side where you can squirt as much as you want. We also ordered their small Kake Udon, only because we had a huge lunch elsewhere, otherwise I would have ordered their Kitsune Udon (sweet fried tofu), my favorite. read more

Udon Yama is located in an indoor asian food hall. Our party of 6 was starving, so we were eccstatic to see that there was no line. It's al la carte style - you start with a tray and grab item items along the queue, mainly different kinds of tempura, as you walk down the line. At the end of the line is where you order your udon and it's done in minutes. I ordered the Nikutama and it was delicious! Delightfully umami with notes of sweetness. I will say that the portion sizes are a bit small. The regular looks like a small and the large looks like a regular, I reccomend sizing up if you have a bigger appetite, but the regular was perfect for me! The tempura was a bit of a miss for me. A wee bland and stale. Might've been because we came towards the end of the day. We came in lieu of waiting in the long line for Maragame Udon, and it was definitely worth it in my opinion. No wait, affordable, and solid udon. Great place to grab udon in Waikiki. Not to mention you can walk around the food hall for boba, drinks, or desserts afterwards. read more

See all

I visited the STIX Asia food hall again and decided to try curry here. This Japanese restaurant has a self-service line to pick up tempura pieces of your choice. When you reach the cashier, you can order entrees on their menu. Entrees get served on the spot, so there's no wait for the food. After you're done with your food, you return your dinnerware. The ambience was good for solo dining, especially. I decided to get the beef curry rice ($19.50). It came in a bowl of thin slices of beef over a sweetly savory curry with small cuts of onions and carrots. The portion size was adequate, but there was a lot more rice than beef. Also, I felt that the curry was a little too sweet for my palate. The cost for the curry was a little too pricy for adequate quality and flavors I didn't prefer. read more

Katsuuuu. What a word to say, aye? Top 10 word in the global dictionary. Furthermore, pork cutlet? What an idea. Then to top it off you're gonna toss it in a brown curry? Yea, just an average version of this dish can get the job done. I typically avoid Katsu Curry even though it seems a perfect dish for me. I was once a little college boy that dreamed of eating Katsu, of eating curry and eating udon in an area known for Asian cuisine. My excitement was always met with disappointment. I've never not had an oversalted version of it. This curry, to my surprise, was perfectly salted. Would've enjoyed a little more heat, but the color of my skin typically makes servers avoid serving me the real spice. I plan to test this theory by getting outrageously tan and returning. I will not report back either way the experiment goes because I won't be back here. And because I already have the answer from similar experiences. Not complaining, you get what yo get and you don't get upset Mr. Ford. Anyways, I've stalked the Stix (Asian Stix) for daysssss. Hunched over, skipping through crowds like they were cones. Making some ethnic eastern Asian loves full head over heels for me. Or so you'd think. Continuing on... My side piece isn't as adventurous as I - A man with a cultured pallet. So, I snuck away in the crisp of daylight and hit it myself. This locale allowed for a quick in and out, others were sitdown. This was cafeteria style, which made me shocked by the quality of what I ate even though it wasn't superstardom. The pork was pretty good, not good and not great. Pork quality I enjoyed but was probably slightly overly fried. Breading was good. Went well with the sauce I drizzed on top like a vet in the game. Guy knows ball. The udon within the Katsu Curry Udon dish was also good. Not blow the hair off the nips type good but good enough that I finished them thick noodz. I could give this joint a 4/5 but I'm being stinggg and cringgg - if you're here for like 2 weeks would def say worth a go. Go go powaaaa rangaaaz! read more

Udon Yama - Pork Katsu Udon Curry - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This udon place is located in the STIX Asia area. There was no line here, unlike the most popular udon place in Waikiki. The broth and noodles were amazing. The meat was very tender. The egg was cooked perfectly. The tempura was cold on the inside. I didn't like that. There are plenty of seats inside because it's not packed at all. I would def go here again if I want udon. read more

Udon Yama - Nikutama Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Quick, food court-style, and lots-of-options-udon spot downstairs of the Waikiki Shopping Plaza. Waikiki has gotten so many authentic Japanese spots over the last year. Marugame and Udon Mugizo are some famous nationwide udon spots/chain. But I wanted to try a spot I'd never been, and without a line. Udon Yama was perfect and they're local and ONLY here in HNL. They're known for their famous chewy udon noodles. Their big overhead menu is easy to read, and they're setup where you order your style or base, and you can select and customize what add-ons like tempura shrimp or eggs with an additional fees. So I just got their reg Nikutama udon which has a delicious sweeter style clear broth. It hit the spot. Egg was drippy. Service was fast and welcoming. Love that they have self-serve water too. LOTS of indoor seating options for solo diners to those with little kids. Highly rec for a quick udon meal without the frills and unnecessary influencer craze. read more

Udon Yama - Nikutama regular size - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

As we walked around looking for lunch, the Ontama udon on their menu caught my eye. It was my favorite udon at Iyo Udon at Ala moana before they closed down years ago. I had to try this one. Ordering is very easy. It's the same concept as Iyo Udon and Marugame Udon. You grab a tray to pick your sides, let the staff know which udon you'd like, then they ring you up as they make the udon bowl and seat yourself at any open table. The Ontama udon broth was nice. I drank most of the soup, then mixed in the egg to coat the noodles and added a dash of shoyu. That's how I like to eat it. The beef udon broth was good too. Very different in flavor. The texture of the udon was absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend to check out Udon Yama. read more

Udon Yama - Beef udon with squid tempura and soft egg tempura - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Yummy udon restaurant, kinda hard to find though. Ordered the famous Nikutama and it did not disappoint. I give it a score of 9/10, deducted a point for how sweet it kind of was. The regular size was just enough. Enjoyed the tempura on the side too (which you pay extra for). Would come again! read more

Udon Yama - Nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This was the first spot we saw when we arrived at the underground food hall Stix. It looked so delicious, but we walked around to see other options just in case, and still came back to Udon Yama as our final choice. It's very similar to Marugame Udon, minus the long lines. You can pick your cooked food at the counter and then order your noodles at the end. My cold nikutama was so good! It really hit the spot. My husband tried out the lemon udon, I'd never seen anything like that on a menu before. The broth is citrusy and exactly lemon broth as labeled, but it's also not just a bowl of lemonade. It's not sweet, it's not tart, it's hard to explain but all you need to know is that it was good! Very refreshing. It doesn't come with any meat though, so we added an egg at least for some protein. There are plenty of tables and a sauce station too for any sauces and utensils you may need. read more

Udon Yama - Gyudon, Lemon Udon, Nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

No broth and the lady said she'll have to charge me more for more broth. How much money are you losing giving me a little more broth? The stinginess and lack of customer service wow. read more

Udon Yama - Niki Tama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My udon noodles were absolutely delicious and very affordable! 100% would recommend. Plus, if anyone in your group doesn't want anything from their menu, it's surrounded by many other Asian restaurants they could order from and you guys could still eat together. read more

UDON!!! Udon Yama is located in the iconic Asian food hall along Waikiki. Their bowls are reasonably priced and a regular comes with plenty of noodles. Their tempura is nice and airy. I got the beef udon and it was tasty! Noodles were nice and bouncy / chewy. Broth was a classkc and I like the fun crunchy toppings they add on top. Service is super quick and friendly. You grab a tray, grab your tempuras and order the udon at the end. Def must try if you're in the area. I think it's comparable to maragume! read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We went back twice. Both times ordered the beef udon. The price was great, quality Was fantastic. The broth was delicious. Can't wait to be back to eat it. It is self service, so you get whatever tempura you want and you order your udon at the counter. Located inside stix food hall. read more

Udon Yama - Beef udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I'll just start by saying Marugamee used to be my favorite go-to udon place, but after having Udon Yama, Marugame might have been topped. The udon is perfectly cooked, with a decent sized meat portion, and flavorful broth. The service was quick and friendly. This is a great place if you want something quick and not too filling. The parking situation is a little difficult, but then again, that's everywhere in Waikiki. All in all, this is my new favorite udon place, and I'm disappointed we don't have one here in California. read more

Udon Yama - Nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It was about 1:30pm and I was in need of something quick and fast... as you all all know there is a quick noodle place on Kuhio Ave. the Marugame Udon... that place gets "wicked" long lines and so busy. If your in the mood for the same but not such a long line... then try this place... it's got almost the same variety. Broth essentially is the same and recalling to mind that most of the soup offerings can be cold or hot. The best part was the ambience. It was after the noon hour and it was NOT! Repeat not.crowded- not crazy packed. - No lines!! And just like Marugame- it had the clean up After yourself system!! Oh I'll be back!! For sure!! read more

See all

Reminds me exactly of Marugame udon when it comes to layout and food. I've only been to Marugame in the mainland, and it was only okay. The udon I ordered (#2) was SO good, better than mainland Marugame's. The noodles were chewy, broth was flavorful. 1 star off because the tempura was cold, stale, and had too much batter - just like the mainland Marugame. Definitely hit the spot for late night bites in Waikiki. Service was nice! I asked for extra green onions and they also hooked me up with some tempura flakes. I'd definitely recommend the #2, just skip out on the tempura! read more

Udon Yama - Number 2 + extra green onions, ask for tempura flakes! Added shrimp, squid, and mushroom tempura (skip the tempura) - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Delicious Udon! Noodles are amazing! Al dente and homemade (you can tell by the variations in noodle size/cut)! I tried the Ontama, Beef, Nikutama, and Kake udon. My favorite was the Nikutama though I feel like this broth was the saltiest one we ordered. Very flavorful! I don't usually like beef in my noodle-soups, I usually find it bland and dry. However, this beef very tasty and flavorful (not dry at all- but quite fatty). Goguma was good. They have dipping sauces by the silverware, but I preferred pairing it with my broth. Their ordering system is very efficient. You grab a tray and walk by the assorted fried foods. At the end you place your order at the cash register. They make your noodle bowl on the spot and then you seat yourself. Overall, I would return to Udon Yama and highly recommend! read more

See all

Great udon, broth, and tempura options. Noodles are bouncy and chewy without being too thick, broth was flavorful yet light, and the tempura was crispy without being too oily. Great prices, friendly service, lots of seating, and zero line. read more

Udon Yama - Ontama cold with shrimp tempura, Kake cold with zucchini tempura and chicken thigh - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Udon know how much I love udon! ;) Come check out Udon Yama inside the STIX Asia Food Hall or Waikīkī Food Court. It's right across Ross Dress for Less Store. There's other food selection to choose from but today, let's highlight Udon Yama. You get to choose from a variety of tempura options. I grabbed mushrooms, jalapenos and shrimp tempura to go with my Kitsune Udon. The tempura's were seasoned well, light on batter and cooked to crisp perfection! I chose Kitsune Udon for its simple yet flavorful broth. The udon were cooked al dente. It's soft, firm and chewy! The staffs. were friendly. They informed us that the utensils, napkins, condiments, and water are all self service. And only if, and only if, that you have a leftover, they have containers and plastic bags for you to take and pack your food. I highly doubt it though ;) It's so yummm you might find yourself getting a second meal. I recommend parking in the Ross parking garage. You can purchase something at Ross and get your ticket validated for 2 hours free! It's $3 for every 30 minutes after. Thank you for reading my review. Have a great Wednesday! read more

See all

Love Udon Yama- ik i have written a review before but inspired to write another - still excellent quality - good portions- great prices- and cant beat the uncrowded, clean, and comfortable atmosphere! Love the udon here so simple yet very tasty and satisfying!!! read more

See all